Develop Reference

How to stop INotify from updating twice?

I am updating a Datagrid and when a user inputs a number that already exists I want notify the user they the number already exists and then clear the value from the datagrid.
I know why this is happening, but I can't figure out how to stop this or how to make a work around.
This is very simplified code: Using EF code first with MVVM model.
public partial class StaffMasterData
{
public System.Guid Id { get; set; } // ID (Primary key)
public int? StaffNo { get; set; } // StaffNo
public StaffMasterData()
{
InitializePartial();
}
partial void InitializePartial();
}
Entity extension class for StaffMasterData :
public partial class StaffMasterData : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
partial void InitializePartial()
{
Id = Guid.NewGuid();
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected virtual void OnPropertyChanged([CallerMemberName]string propertyName = null)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
handler?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
And the method to save the data:
public void SaveMasterData(StaffMasterData nwRowData)
{
using (var db = CreateDbContext())
{
//MasterDataBinding is the observableCollection
//the datagrid is being bound to.
var staffNoExists = MasterDataBinding.Any(p => p.StaffNo == nwRowData.StaffNo);
if (!staffNoExists)
{
db.StaffMasterDatas.AddOrUpdate(nwRowData);
db.SaveChanges();
}
else
{
Alerts.Error("Staff Number exists");
nwRowData.StaffNo = null;
}
}
}
And the assinging of the collection changed event:
public class ShiftManagerViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private ObservableCollection<StaffMasterData> _mMasterDataBinding = new ObservableCollection<StaffMasterData>();
public ObservableCollection<StaffMasterData> MasterDataBinding
{
get { return _mMasterDataBinding; }
set
{
if (value != _mMasterDataBinding)
{
_mMasterDataBinding = value;
OnPropertyChanged();
}
}
}
public ShiftManagerViewModel()
{
_mMasterDataBinding.CollectionChanged += collectionChanged_Event;
}
private void collectionChanged_Event(object sender, NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs e)
{
if (e.NewItems != null && e.NewItems.Count > 0)
{
foreach (INotifyPropertyChanged item in e.NewItems.OfType<INotifyPropertyChanged>())
{
item.PropertyChanged += propertyChanged_Event;
}
}
if (e.OldItems != null && e.OldItems.Count > 0)
{
foreach (INotifyPropertyChanged item in e.OldItems.OfType<INotifyPropertyChanged>())
{
item.PropertyChanged -= propertyChanged_Event;
}
}
}
public void propertyChanged_Event(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
if (sender is StaffMasterData)
{
SaveMasterData((StaffMasterData)sender);
}
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected virtual void OnPropertyChanged([CallerMemberName]string propertyName = null)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
handler?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
As it is probably very clear, when running through this line of code nwRowData.StaffNo = null; , it fires the event again as the collection has been modified which then in turn runs through the messageBox code and it pops up twice.
Honestly I have hit a brick wall with this and any point in the right direction would be appreciated.

You could use a flag that determines whether to actually call the SaveMasterData method. Set this flag to false just before you set the StaffNo property to null and then set it back to true immediately afterwards:
private bool _handle = true;
public void SaveMasterData(StaffMasterData nwRowData)
{
using (var db = CreateDbContext())
{
//MasterDataBinding is the observableCollection
//the datagrid is being bound to.
var staffNoExists = MasterDataBinding.Any(p => p.StaffNo == nwRowData.StaffNo);
if (!staffNoExists)
{
db.StaffMasterDatas.AddOrUpdate(nwRowData);
db.SaveChanges();
}
else
{
Alerts.Error("Staff Number exists");
_handle = false;
nwRowData.StaffNo = null;
_handle = true;
}
}
}
public void propertyChanged_Event(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
if (!_handle && sender is StaffMasterData)
{
SaveMasterData((StaffMasterData)sender);
}
}

Copy EventHandler in inherited class

I'm developing an application in c# WPF.
I use a class PropertyChangedNotifier to manage INotifyPropertyChanged (see that link).
I use a classical ViewModelBase :
public class ViewModelBase : INotifyPropertyChanged, IRequestClose
{
public PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = _propertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
}
In my MainViewModel : ViewModelBase I have a PropertyChangedNotifier<MainViewModel> working like this :
class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
{
private PropertyChangedNotifier<MainViewModel> _notifier;
public new event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged
{
add { _notifier.PropertyChanged += value; }
remove { _notifier.PropertyChanged -= value; }
}
public MainViewModel()
{
_notifier = new PropertyChangedNotifier<MainViewModel>(this);
}
protected new void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
_notifier.OnPropertyChanged(propertyName);
}
}
But changes are not detected, when a value changes, my MainWindows doesn't refresh (without using PropertyChangedNotifier it works). I saw that system initiates windows by using WindowsBase.dll!System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventManager.StartListening(object source) and then I saw that my ViewModelBase.PropertyChanged is not null when the constructor for MainViewModel is called.
Is it possible to make something like this :
public MainViewModel()
{
_notifier = new PropertyChangedNotifier<MainViewModel>(this);
_notifier.PropertyChanged = base.PropertyChanged;
}
And will that fix my bug ?
Edit:
PropertyChangeNotifier from link :
[AttributeUsage( AttributeTargets.Property )]
public class DepondsOnAttribute : Attribute
{
public DepondsOnAttribute( string name )
{
Name = name;
}
public string Name { get; }
}
public class PropertyChangedNotifier<T> : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
public PropertyChangedNotifier( T owner )
{
mOwner = owner;
}
public void OnPropertyChanged( string propertyName )
{
var handler = PropertyChanged;
if( handler != null ) handler( mOwner, new PropertyChangedEventArgs( propertyName ) );
List<string> dependents;
if( smPropertyDependencies.TryGetValue( propertyName, out dependents ) )
{
foreach( var dependent in dependents ) OnPropertyChanged( dependent );
}
}
static PropertyChangedNotifier()
{
foreach( var property in typeof( T ).GetProperties() )
{
var dependsOn = property.GetCustomAttributes( true )
.OfType<DepondsOnAttribute>()
.Select( attribute => attribute.Name );
foreach( var dependency in dependsOn )
{
List<string> list;
if( !smPropertyDependencies.TryGetValue( dependency, out list ) )
{
list = new List<string>();
smPropertyDependencies.Add( dependency, list );
}
if (property.Name == dependency)
throw new ApplicationException(String.Format("Property {0} of {1} cannot depends of itself", dependency, typeof(T).ToString()));
list.Add( property.Name );
}
}
}
private static readonly Dictionary<string, List<string>> smPropertyDependencies = new Dictionary<string, List<string>>();
private readonly T mOwner;
}

The problem is that when my MainViewModel is created, the base.PropertyChanged is null. The constructor is called, fields/properties initialized (some call OnPropertyChanged) and after the MainView.InitializeComponent() add a handler in base.PropertyChanged (I attached a debugger to see that). This adding is done in the ViewModelBase, ignoring the public new event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged in MainViewModel.
I've the idea to check if base.PropertyChanged has been modify and copy it.
I've done this, I don't know if there is a good idea, what do you think ?
public class ViewModelBase : INotifyPropertyChanged, IRequestClose
{
protected event PropertyChangedEventHandler _propertyChanged;
protected bool propertyAdded { get; private set; }
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged
{
add
{
_propertyChanged += value;
propertyAdded = true;
}
remove { _propertyChanged -= value; }
}
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = _propertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
public Delegate[] Get_PropertyChanged()
{
isPropertyAdded = false;
Delegate[] delegates = new Delegate[0];
if (_propertyChanged != null)
{
delegates = _propertyChanged.GetInvocationList();
_propertyChanged = null;
}
return delegates;
}
}
and
class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
{
private PropertyChangedNotifier<MainViewModel> _notifier;
public new event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged
{
add { _notifier.PropertyChanged += value; }
remove { _notifier.PropertyChanged -= value; }
}
public MainViewModel()
{
_notifier = new PropertyChangedNotifier<MainViewModel>(this);
}
protected new void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
if (isPropertyAdded)
{
foreach (Delegate d in Get_PropertyChanged())
{
_notifier.PropertyChanged += (PropertyChangedEventHandler)d;
}
}
_notifier.OnPropertyChanged(propertyName);
}
}

Seems like a convoluted solution to a simple NotifyPropertyChanged("dependentProperty"), although I do understand the desire to engineer fancy solutions. It would make sense if it had some performance/loc benefits, but it doesn't. It just adds complexity.

Triggering an event in C# using INotifyPropertyChanged

I'm new to C# and I'm trying to get a change in my datagrid to trigger a method in my main.
I've got my class:
public class siteMatch : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public string SelectedTag
{
get { return _SelectedTag; }
set
{
if (value != _SelectedTag)
{
_SelectedTag = value;
OnPropertyChanged(_SelectedTag);
}
}
}
private string _SelectedTag;
protected void OnPropertyChanged(PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
handler(this, e);
}
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
OnPropertyChanged(new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
And I've got this in my main class:
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
public ObservableCollection<siteMatch> sitesMatched = new ObservableCollection<siteMatch>();
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
sitesMatched.CollectionChanged += new System.Collections.Specialized.NotifyCollectionChangedEventHandler(items_CollectionChanged);
}
static void items_CollectionChanged(object sender, System.Collections.Specialized.NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs e)
{
foreach (INotifyPropertyChanged item in e.OldItems)
item.PropertyChanged -= new PropertyChangedEventHandler(item_PropertyChanged);
foreach (INotifyPropertyChanged item in e.NewItems)
item.PropertyChanged += new PropertyChangedEventHandler(item_PropertyChanged);
}
static void item_PropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
//throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
Am I missing something here? The items_CollectionChanged method doesn't get triggered when I change something on the datagrid. I have a feeling that I haven't subscribed to the event properly. The OnPropertyChanged method gets triggered correctly but nothing happens after that.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Edit: I should point out that I only have access to .Net 4

It is my understanding that the Collection Changed is only triggered on creation of the collection, or in addition or deletion, but not when you change something inside the collection.
What you want to accomplish can be done with the events on the Datagrid itself,
e.g. by using the DataGridView.CellValueChanged Event.
Another solution is for you to expand the ObservableCollection class.
Have a look here : https://stackoverflow.com/a/5256827/3042778

How to notify a bound element oh a value change when value derives from model?

I have the visibility of a progress bar bound to The following property within my viewmodel:
public string CalcProgVisibility
{
get
{
return Calculation.CalcProgVisibility;
}
set
{
}
}
Calculation is my model, which can change the value. When the value changes within the model, what do I need to do to make sure the view is aware of this change?
EDIT:
Here is the property within my model too. I am using onpropertychanged but its not making it to the view.
I am changing the value within the model, the view is bound to my viewmodel and the viewmodel si trying to return a value taken from the model. I am updating the value on the model, and cannot push the fact that it has updated the value all the way down to the view, I can only get the viewmodel to see it has changed...

I updated the entire code. I hope it's clear now.
Define your control BindingMode = TwoWay
<TextBox Visibility="{Binding Path=CalcProgVisibility, Mode=TwoWay}"...
and call the OnPropertyChanged method on the setter of the property in your view model and also in your model
//Model
public class Calculation : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private string _calcProgVisibility;
public string CalcProgVisibility
{
get { return _calcProgVisibility; }
set
{
_calcProgVisibility = value;
OnPropertyChanged("CalcProgVisibility");
}
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
RaisePropertyChanged(propertyName);
}
private void RaisePropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler == null) return;
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
//ViewModel
public class ViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ViewModel(Calculation model)
{
this.CalcProgVisibility = model.CalcProgVisibility;
model.PropertyChanged += (s, e) => UpdateEntity(s as Calculation);
}
private void UpdateEntity(Calculation source)
{
CalcProgVisibility = source.CalcProgVisibility;
}
private string _calcProgVisibility;
public string CalcProgVisibility
{
get { return _calcProgVisibility; }
set
{
_calcProgVisibility = value;
OnPropertyChanged("CalcProgVisibility");
}
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
RaisePropertyChanged(propertyName);
}
private void RaisePropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler == null) return;
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}

Your Viewmodel has to implement the INotifyPropertyChanged Interface. To fire it in your case your viewmodel must also be aware of changes in your model object. So your model object could also implement INotifyPropertyChanged, or you use some form of the observer pattern.
If your model implements INotifyPropertyChanged, your viewmodel must manually register for this event and implement an handler. This could in turn trigger the PropertyChange event of the viewmodel then.
Another but in my opinion ugly way would be to scan (per timer or background thread) through your viemodel and check if a value changed since the last scan and then trigger a property changed event.
The first solution could look like this:
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
namespace StackOverflow
{
[TestClass]
public class IntegrationTest
{
[TestMethod]
public void NotifyPropertyChangeShouldFireOnViewModelWhenModelChanges()
{
//Arrange
Model model = new Model();
ViewModel sut = new ViewModel(model);
bool notifyPropertyChangeOnViewModelWasCalled = false;
sut.PropertyChanged += (sender, e) => { notifyPropertyChangeOnViewModelWasCalled = true; };
//Act
model.CalcValue = 4711;
//Assert
Assert.IsTrue(notifyPropertyChangeOnViewModelWasCalled, "NotifyPropertyChange was not fired on ViewModel");
}
}
public class ObjectWithNotifyPropertyChanged : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void RaisePropertyChanged([CallerMemberName]string propertyName = "")
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
}
public class Model : ObjectWithNotifyPropertyChanged
{
private double calcValue;
public double CalcValue
{
get
{
return calcValue;
}
set
{
if (calcValue != value)
{
calcValue = value;
RaisePropertyChanged();
}
}
}
}
public class ViewModel : ObjectWithNotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ViewModel(Model model)
{
this.model = model;
model.PropertyChanged += model_PropertyChanged;
}
void model_PropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
switch (e.PropertyName)
{
case "CalcValue":
RaisePropertyChanged("CalcValue");
break;
}
}
private Model model;
public double CalcValue
{
get
{
return model.CalcValue;
}
}
}
}

ObservableCollection

I have a WPF dialog that is bound to a list of ObservableCollection<MyEntity> type. In the dialog, I want the "OK" button to be enabled only if changes are made to the ObservableCollection<MyEntity> list - that includes adding/removing items from the list and modifying the individual items in the list.
For adding/removing items from the list, it is easy - I implemented a handler for the CollectionChanged event.
What I don't know how to do is when an individual item is modified. Say, MyEntity.Name="New Value", what interface does MyEntity class need to implement to make it 'observable'?

MyEntity needs to implement INotifyPropertyChanged, then when a property change occurs you fire the PropertyChanged event. Like this:
public class MyEntity : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public bool MyFlag
{
get { return _myFlag; }
set
{
_myFlag = value;
OnPropertyChanged("MyFlag");
}
}
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
if (this.PropertyChanged != null)
{
this.PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
}
Two ways to approach this are:
have an event listener internal to the object which then sets an IsDirty flag whenever a property changes. Then OK button is bound to a command (check out the usage of the ICommand interface), and in the CanExecute method of the command you check if any of the objects in the ObservableCollection have been set to dirty. This check can be done with a simple LINQ statement: myCollection.Any(x => x.IsDirty == true)
this method is more clunky and smelly.... have an external object listening for changes (by subscribing to the PropertyChanged event on each object), and that external listener can then enable the OK button (via databinding or by setting it directly).

I like the answer provided by slugster, here is an alternative building on slugster's answer.
If you bind to your OK button using DelegateCommnd you can add event handlers for CollectionChanged and PropertyChanged to change a simple boolean flag to control the state of the OK button.
public class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
{
public DelegateCommand<object> RunCommand { get; set; }
public DelegateCommand<object> OkCommand { get; set; }
private bool enableOk = false;
private bool setOK = false;
private ObservableCollection<MyEntity> _entites = new ObservableCollection<MyEntity>();
public MainViewModel()
{
_entites.CollectionChanged += (s, e) =>
{
if (e.Action == NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Add)
{
// handle property changing
foreach (MyEntity item in e.NewItems)
{
((INotifyPropertyChanged)item).PropertyChanged += (s1, e1) => { if (setOK) enableOk = true; };
}
}
// handle collection changing
if (setOK) enableOk = false;
};
MyEntity me1 = new MyEntity { Name = "Name", Information = "Information", Details = "Detials" };
MyEntity me2 = new MyEntity { Name = "Name", Information = "Information", Details = "Detials" };
MyEntity me3 = new MyEntity { Name = "Name", Information = "Information", Details = "Detials" };
_entites.Add(me1);
_entites.Add(me2);
_entites.Add(me3);
// allow collection changes now to start enabling the ok button...
setOK = true;
RunCommand = new DelegateCommand<object>(OnRunCommnad, CanRunCommand);
OkCommand = new DelegateCommand<object>(OnOkCommnad, CanOkCommand);
}
private void OnRunCommnad(object obj)
{
MyEntity me = new MyEntity { Name = "Name", Information = "Information", Details = "Detials" };
// causes ok to become enabled
_entites.Add(me);
MyEntity first = _entites[0];
// causes ok to become enabled
first.Name = "Zamboni";
}
private bool CanRunCommand(object obj)
{
return true;
}
private void OnOkCommnad(object obj)
{
}
private bool CanOkCommand(object obj)
{
return enableOk;
}
}
Here is a version MyEntity (similar to the one provided by slugster):
Only the Name property fires an event in this example...
public class MyEntity : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private string _name = string.Empty;
public string Name
{
get
{
return _name;
}
set
{
_name = value;
OnPropertyChanged("Name");
}
}
public string Information { get; set; }
public string Details { get; set; }
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
}

You should implement INotifyPropertyChanged. You could do it by the following way
(as you can see, this implementation is fully thread safe)
private readonly object _sync = new object();
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged
{
add { lock (_sync) _propertyChanged += value; }
remove { lock (_sync) _propertyChanged -= value; }
} private PropertyChangedEventHandler _propertyChanged;
protected void OnPropertyChanged(Expression<Func<object>> propertyExpression)
{
OnPropertyChanged(GetPropertyName(propertyExpression));
}
protected string GetPropertyName(Expression<Func<object>> propertyExpression)
{
MemberExpression body;
if (propertyExpression.Body is UnaryExpression)
body = (MemberExpression) ((UnaryExpression) propertyExpression.Body).Operand;
else
body = (MemberExpression) propertyExpression.Body;
return body.Member.Name;
}
protected virtual void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
var handler = _propertyChanged;
if (handler != null) handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
Following the implementation I described above, you can notify about your changes by two ways
1) The first way
public int MyProperty
{
get { return _myProperty; }
set
{
if (value != __myProperty)
{
_subVersion = value;
OnPropertyChanged(MyPropertyPropertyName);
}
}
} private int _myProperty; const string MyPropertyPropertyName = "MyProperty";
2) And the second way
public int MyProperty
{
get { return _myProperty; }
set
{
if (value != _myProperty)
{
_subVersion = value;
OnPropertyChanged(() => MyProperty);
}
}
} private int _myProperty;

Another solution could be a custom observable collection that requires items to implement INotifyPropertyChanged. The user must attach a handler to the OnItemPropertyChanged event, which will be called whenever the property of an item in the collection is changed.
public class ObservableCollectionEnhanced<T> : ObservableCollection<T> where T : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ObservableCollectionEnhanced()
: base()
{ }
public ObservableCollectionEnhanced(IEnumerable<T> collection)
: base(collection)
{
foreach (T item in Items)
item.PropertyChanged += OnItemPropertyChanged;
}
public ObservableCollectionEnhanced(List<T> list)
: base(list)
{
foreach (T item in Items)
item.PropertyChanged += OnItemPropertyChanged;
}
public event System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventHandler ItemPropertyChanged;
public void OnItemPropertyChanged(Object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
if (null != ItemPropertyChanged)
ItemPropertyChanged(sender, e);
}
protected override void InsertItem(int index, T item)
{
base.InsertItem(index, item);
item.PropertyChanged += OnItemPropertyChanged;
}
protected override void RemoveItem(int index)
{
T item = this.Items[index];
item.PropertyChanged -= OnItemPropertyChanged;
base.RemoveItem(index);
}
protected override void SetItem(int index, T item)
{
T oldItem = Items[index];
base.SetItem(index, item);
oldItem.PropertyChanged -= OnItemPropertyChanged;
item.PropertyChanged += OnItemPropertyChanged;
}
}
Configure the handler as follows:
public void OnItemPropertyChanged(Object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("Update called on {0}", sender);
}
...
collection.ItemPropertyChanged += OnItemPropertyChanged;